In my early 20's I hosted an impromptu (ridiculous) dinner party that ended up being a blast! A co-worker at the time helped me plan the last minute menu- suggesting the below dish as a crowd pleaser. Last night I revisited the dish and it brought back so many great memories. Thought I'd share the recipe in case you're hosting an impromptu anytime soon!

Heat 1 tablespoon oil reserved from tomatoes in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken to the skillet and sauté until cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a plate and cool; do not clean skillet. Cut chicken into 1/2-inch pieces.

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water according to package directions until al dente. Drain and transfer to large bowl.

Happy New Year! Hope everyone had a fabulous Holiday. I know it's been a while since I've posted, which is something I'm going to try and be better about in 2015. I really do miss posting and want to try and find time in the day (or week) to get a post up.

To start, I have to share one of my favorite new items. The Madewell Transport Tote. This is not a sponsored post or anything like that (it does have an affiliate link though), I truly love it that much to dedicate an entire post to it!

Here it is:

I was looking for a bag that was light since I tend to get neck/shoulder pain when I carry heavy bags, and this one fit the bill. My biggest fear was stemming from the need to have an organized bag. I have never carried a bag without multiple pockets. What I found was, I have been even more organized without the pockets. I now carry a few smaller bags within my bag that have exactly what I need.

I ended up getting the bag in black (since it was winter and I had a brown bag already) with my initials in gold (like below). It has held up really well in the past 3 months and I'm really hard on my bags.

I also love the brown though- classic:

Wouldn't be surprised if I ended up with the brown by Spring! Oh, and it's also great for carrying puppies!

I know I haven't stopped by in a long time, but I had to pop in and share the early Christmas present that Chris and I gifted ourselves. Meet "Roo" our precious cavapoo lady! So far she is the sweetest little thing...despite the sleepless nights ;)

I've always loved a good punch of a bold black and white print in any outfit or room, and the past couple of years I've very happy to see that the black and white spotted pattern has been found anywhere from fashion to home decor. Most recently I picked up a pair of inexpensive flats that add a touch of sass to a pair of jeans and sweater (see below, link above- also, tangent- if you haven't picked up Erin Gates book, Elements of Style yet I highly recommend! Exciting to see a blogger who you've read for years put out a book).

Anyway, I could be wrong, but it seems as though the spotted trend started after the lovely Brunschwig and Fils snow leopard pattern 'Les Touches' became popular in the design world.

Here are a few of my favorite images (all from pinterest) I found that have either used that gorgeous Les Touches pattern, or something close to it...

Lastly, there are many DIY projects out there to re-create this look on your own. Huge fan of Little Green Notebook's bulletin board she did a while back:

Wanted to quickly pop in and say how much I love this pair of pumps I picked up during the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale (still going until Monday!). I tried to find the leopard in my size as well and it's currently sold out. Highly recommend. The calf hair looks very rich in person and these could easily be dressed up or dressed down. Most importantly, I wore them for over 10 hours and my dogs aren't barking. They fit true to size for me. They are currently $59.90, going back up to $89.95 after the sale ends!

TheNordstrom Anniversary Sale starts today! MAC put out my favorite set of brushes this year. Typically they don't have this full set. It's a few brushes I would never use- but, this year they put out the best set. The same set I bought 10 YEARS ago and still use today. I highly recommend it! I also threw in a few other fun items worth checking out during the sale. Even if you aren't sure, always best to lock in the Anniversary price (they have free shipping & returns) and then return later. Seems to be the best time to pick up a couple of fall investment pieces (if you are planning to do that this year - boots, jackets, handbag, etc.).